Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-04-15
THOUGHTS FROM BEECHER.
Typical Expressions Cuiied From
His Published Utterances.


His Published Utterances.
Mr.. Beechcr never delivered dis
course. says The Aeio York. World, IN
which there were not many gems.
aasty glance through few of his pub
ished uttcrances discloses these cpl
grammatic thoughts upon every page.
A few of them are culled and present
.d below. but they of necessity lack
completeness, and serve better to show
SIR. Beecher's originality of expression
han the breadth of his mind. The mis-
conceptions of religion and the quarrel
ne of the sects were frequent topics
With him:
Religion is very slim, lean, gaunt,
ooor ill-fed thing as it is ordinarily
conceived of in this world.
Men sit around tool-chest quarrel
nc about saws and planes and chisels.
they are not building anything. They
ire debating about tools. They are tit
be in theological seminary.
That kind of revival preaching which
,eeks to drive men into heaven by the
ear of hell is not Christianity. 1t is
he worst form of paganiSm.
Sccts are candlesticks, and man or
,Soman that is bic enough to be good
or anything is too large for any sect.
Why is it that men think it incumbent
ipon them to be cats aud dogs in relig-
on and gentlemen in everything out
,ide of L?
Sunday with him was not n day of
| gloom, and he took frequent occasion
% show the ncedlesSncss OF being SOM
,er on that day:
esteem the awlulncss that is attach
ID to SUNDAY and church and pulpit the
greatest mistake of Chri,tendom.
The prevalent idea of keeping the
sabbath is that it is day on which
certain things must not be done. To
,hc majority Of people Sunday is day
iul OF aotS.
helps AN body to appreciate Sunday
a. day of rest of healthful and pure
pleasure and that will gently lead men,
women, and children from the things
Of low estate up to the higher.
Some of his uttcrances on the cues
ion of death and the future life are
peculiarly appropr ate at this time:
To one who is living Alright, no death
IAN be sudden and no place uufavora-
Die. One step and all roads meet.
DYING Is the best part of life to one
Who knows how to live worthily.
If the life that has gone ont has been
ike music, full of concordS, full oil
,wcetne,s, richness, delicacy, truth,
hen there are two WAYS TO look at il.
0ne is to say. Il have not lost t." An
,ther TO say, BLESSED be God that
ave had it so long,
When we comprehend the fullness o.
shat death will do for Us, in all oul
outlook and forelook. dying is triumph
ng Nowhere is there so far a sight
10 sweet prospect, as when young
,oul is passing away out of LIE anC
ame through the gate of death-the
.osy, the royal, the golden. the pearly
gate of death.
Death is as sweet as flowers are. i
as blessed as brd-sing ne in spring.
never hear of the death of anyone
who is ready to die that my heart doe.
,ot sing like harp. | am sorry foI
hose left behind, but not for thos,
gone before.
As grow older and come higher t.
ieath. look upon it more and more
with complacent JOY, and out of every
onging hear God say: 80, trust
NJ, hungering one. come to Me. y
What the other life VIII BRING | know
loi, only that shall awake in God,
LIKENESS and see Him as He j..
Beat on, then. O heart. and YEAR,
or dying. | have drank at many ;
ountain, but thirst came again; hav,
ed at many a bounteous table, bu,
aunger returned; | have seen many
bright and lovely things, but while
,azed their luster faded. There i,
aothing here that can give me rest, bu
when | behold thee, o God, l shall be
;at SIZED
His ever exuberant and joyous ma
ure was a constant protest against the
ascetic in religion or in daily life.
Don't NOPE. Be young as long as
vou live. Laugh good deal. Frolic
very day. A low tone of mind is un.
aea!thy.
A lawyer who works ten months in
The year and then for two solid months
,muscs himself VII last twice as long
is if he took no recreation.
Men have come TO think that tears
ire more sacred than smiles. No!
laughing is as divine rs crying.
Humor usually tends toward good
nature, and everything that tends to.